Search for Revelations
by EasyCompany506
Summary: Tristan thought he would spend his whole life in Vault 101. Now his father has gone missing and he is made an exhile in an unforgiving world. Now he must brave the Capital wastes to search not only for the only family left, but also why. Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

_This is the fourth Fallout story I've started, in the time I've been on FanFiction. Though the farthest I've gotten was in Heroes for Hire. (Side note; To those who do like HfH, worry not. I've got it backed up for a later date. Just didn't like to continue on with it at the present time. I guess you could say it was on hiatus.) Now the story is basically following the Main quest (not including Broken Steel) with some minor changes. The only thing I'll tell you is that this bad boy's going to be First person, and the Main character's name is Tristan._

_Now on to the Wasteland._

Chapter one

_We are born in the Vault, We die in the Vault._ I was told that my whole life. All the adults in the Vault, even my own father have said this. Piss ant is what I say! A vault is nothing but a prison. I've hated the place ever since I was ten. The only reason I stay is because the damn door is sealed tight. Though I wish to leave, there are parts of me that wanted to stay. The first is the fact my father is the only family I have left. My mother died a long time ago. The other was what I was told there was nothing left outside.

This was on my mind a lot. Even when I was on my way to school. The day of the infamous G.O.A.T. test. If what some of the other teens had told me, this was not going to be a fun day.

Of course I had to take a medical exam from the top doctor in the Vault. Guess who? Yep, my dad. I learned the hard way to not try and lie to him. He could see past one with no trouble. So I just sat on that gurney with my mouth shut. "Well, as far as I can see, you're a perfectly healthy sixteen year old boy. So now you have to take the GOAT." He said after taking some eye examination tool away from my face. I scoffed and hopped off the gurney. "So I don't want to hear anything otherwise. Now get out of here." He said and put the tool down.

"Hey dad…" I started but fell short. "Yeah, what is it, kiddo?" He said leaning against one of the desks in the med room. "Can we-can we talk? Bout mom?" I asked him, feeling lousy that I did. This is one of the few times I've seen his confidence leave him. Even from fifteen feet away, I saw the normally intense fire in his eyes go out. "Your mother…" He began, trying to find the right words. "Your mother was a good person. She wanted so much to meet you. And she felt you would have a good heart and a good head." He said, looking down. I knew the death of my mother had always been hard on him. I guess I shouldn't have asked.

He then looked up, this time with a smile on his face. "And so, it's time for you learn some common sense and take your GOAT. Because the last thing I need is for your mother's ghost to forever haunt me, because our only son became a garbage burner or some rubbish like that." He said. I laughed and shook my head. "You'll use any excuse to get me out of your office." I said. "Tristan." He said still smiling but this time with a tone. He then pointed to the room's entrance. "Alright, alright. I'm a going."

While I exited the medical center, I saw a very familiar face; my dad's colleague and assistant, not to mention one of my best friends. Jonas. "Hey! Look who it is." he said with a big grin on his face. "Hey Jonas." I said and shook his hand. "Long time no see. How's things going, T? He asked as he adjusted his glasses. "Eh, just going to take the you-know-what." He chuckled. "Yes I do know what you mean. Hey look at this way, if you pass medical you could always give us a hand." He said, while I snorted. "I rather doubt that."

Just then we heard my father's voice from his office. "Jonas? Jonas! Get in here." Both of us smiled. "Sorry Tristan, gotta go. The wife's calling." Jonas said and brushed past me. "Hey good luck with the GOAT exam." I heard him say as I left the med center. "Yeah, god willing." I muttered as I rounded the corner.

It was then after walking the corridor to school did I see something of both annoyance and frustration. The Tunnel Snakes. Ha! Tunnel rats if you ask my opinion. Butch DeLoria is their so-called leader. The other two hoods were Paul Hannon and Wally Mack. Both were alright guys, just not the brightest stars in the sky. I knew all these punks since childhood. Butch was an ass through and through, while Paul was just looking for someone to follow. And Wally…, well I'm not exactly sure about Wally Mack.

Then I saw what really ticked me off; these thugs were picking on a woman. Not just any though, it was my best friend, Amata. The overseer's daughter. "Hey! Butch, you are starting to get on my last nerve." I said as I approached the group. "Well, well. If it isn't daddy's little boy." Butch said with a smug demeanor. Paul and Wally stood on either side of me. I glanced at both of them and then a Butch. "Your pretty brave with your girlfriends next to you." It was then I felt Mack grab the collar of my jumpsuit, it wasn't hard to anger guys like this. "What did you say?" He said gruffly.

I knew picking a fight with three guys was not smart, so I decided on another approach. "Hey Mack, how does it feel to take orders from some punk?" When he heard this Butch simply laughed. "Your serious on trying that? Pitting my own guys against me?" Yea keep laughing bub. It was what not Butch I was watching, but Wally. I saw his eyes moving, he was thinking. I guess my little trick worked. "Now beat this little twerp to a pulp, Wally." Butch said, completely oblivious to Mack's new way of thinking. "Sorry Butch." Wally said, letting go of me and turning to face him. "But _nobody_ tells Wally Mack what to do."

This startled Butch, considering the idiot never had to take no for an answer. "What did you say?" he asked, anger in his voice rising. My attention then turned to Amata. When her eyes met mine, I motioned to head away from this little rebellion and sit back and watch. She understood what I meant and both of us moved towards the classroom. "You're gonna do what I said, you little shit." Butch said jabbing his finger in Mack's shoulder. Wally stood his ground and said, "Or you'll what? Butch you nothing but talk." Mack then turned to Paul and said, "C'mon Paul."

The two walked away from Butch and headed for the classroom. It was then the teacher walked out of the class and saw me and Amata. Brotch turned his attention to the Tunnel Snakes. "We are waiting, gentlemen." So not wanting to have any unnecessary reprisals with the adults, mainly security, the three calmly filed into the classroom. When the fools were out of earshot, Amata turned me, relieved. "Thanks for that. Those guys are such assholes." she said. I grinned and shook my head. "Butch, definitely. Paul and Wally, not really. I mean those two have been friends even before joining Butch's motley crew. Paul would really do just about anything with Wally." I said as I leaned against the wall. "You saw how he just stood by."

Mr. Brotch came back out the classroom and grinned at us. "When I said, 'We are waiting' also meant you two." He said. I held up my hand and nodded. "Coming Mr. B." I grinned and turned to Amata. I motioned to the room and said, "We're expected. So ladies first." Amata moved ahead and scoffed. "Oh, so a smooth talker and a gentleman now?" She said jokingly. "Well, I can always be a damn good lover if you want." I said musing her mockingly. "Don't push your luck, buddy." She said as both of us laughed and found some seats.

So everyone sat quietly as Brotch handed out the GOATs. Well almost everyone when Brotch asked us to sit quietly. Because it was Butch's snickering that broke the silence. "This means you too, Mr. Deloria." So after that little outburst we took our tests. After maybe ten minutes everyone was finished. The funny part of the whole thing is that question ten, the most ridiculous question of them all. It asked who lead the Vault and who we owed are lives to. If I had the option I would say our own damn selves. We have that right, if you ask me.

After the exams were finished we handed them into Brotch so he could tell us where our future lied. Butch was the first in line, looking a little too confident. "Yo teach, I'm done." Before he graded it Brotch actually took his time. "Ah, Butch. Allow me a moment to savor the moment." He said as he leaned back into his chair. "Yeah, yeah. Your full of it Brotch." So not waiting any longer Brotch looked over Butch's test. As he did everyone waited silently. I guess we were all worried that Butch might become the next overseer. Yeah right.

Just then Brotch sat back and said, "Well Butch you certainly surprised me." He said, and leaned back into his chair again. "A hairdresser. Who would have thunk it?" When everyone heard this they snorted, and chortled. Butch turned back and looked at us angrily. "Yeah laugh it up!" He shouted and stormed out of the room. The moment he was out of earshot, everyone, saved Brotch burst out laughing. "Alright, alright everyone. That's quite enough."

So after Everyone handed their tests to the teacher, it was finally my turn. "Hey, Tristan." Brotch said as I handed my GOAT to him. "Brotch." I said simply. As he examined my exam he asked. "You want to tell me what the little incident was outside my classroom was about?" I grunted and waved him off. "It wasn't anything. Just Butch and his thugs picking on Amata again." I said, Brotch upon hearing this, looked up. "Again?" He asked. I sighed and nodded. "This is the third time in a month." I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "Well, this better stop otherwise their gonna have to deal with the overseer."

Brotch then chuckled and said, "Well after seeing this, it's you they'll really have to worry." I turned to him, feeling rather clueless at this point. "You're on your way to being one of our fine security officers, Tristan." Security, huh? I always figured I would be some techie helping my pop and Jonas out. "Though it did throw me for a loop, with both your knowledge of firearms, and medicine." I shrugged and started walking out.

"Oh Tristan?" Brotch asked as I stepped through the threshold. I stopped, turned and asked. "Yeah, Mr. B?" He stayed planted in that chair and put his hands on his chin. "You want to tell me where you learned so much on firearms?" I think he was referring to the fact he knew I had a BB gun since my tenth birthday. I rolled my eyes up and started tomockingly think about it. After a moment, I shook my head and grinned. "No." I said, and walked out.

Well so that was my future. Being security to a prison. I figured since I probably never leave the Vault, I didn't have much choice. An impressive measure to what my life amounted to, huh? Yeah that's pretty much what I thought. Until three years later that was…

_Well, not a bad opener huh? I hope I'm doing alright for my first story through first person view. Anyways I pretty sure all of you who played the game know where this is going. On a unrelated note, this was the fastest chapter I've ever written. Only conceived last night!_

_Right well, you all know the drill, read an review._


	2. Chapter 2

_Well, assuming the reviews are good for the first chapter, here is the next one. I figure you all who have played this game know what will happen in this chapter. So I really needn't say anything else. To those who might have written about it or have thought about it but were unsure, Yes I'm following the main story of the game. Hey I guess if you want a story detailed, then play it close to the chest right?_

_Time to read._

Chapter Two

The feeling that someone was shaking my body awoken me, though I was still groggy. "Wake up! Tristan wake up damn it!" The voice was distinctively familiar, and feminine. "TRISTAN!!!" The voice screamed and my eyes snapped open. "What the hell?" I asked as I sat up. The sounds of klaxons and alarms were blaring everywhere. Amata was standing over me, tugging at my arm. "Get up!" Amata shouted and following her order, stood. "You have got to get out of here!" She said, looking back out the door way. "My father's men are looking for you. You have to leave, as of now!" Why? Why would the Overseer's men want me? "What's going on, Amata?" I asked as I tried to make sense of the situation.

Then she said something I didn't want to believe, refused to believe. "Your father has escaped from the Vault." That's what she said, yet I couldn't process it. "How could he? I mean the door's always locked. Isn't it?" I asked, sounding confused and stupid.

"I don't know how, but he left, and my father's men thought that Jonas had--" She said but I interrupted her, when I heard the name. "J-Jonas?! How-how the hell is he involved in this?" I shouted in disbelief. How _did_ the poor guy get mixed up in this shit?

When I saw the tears in her eyes, I knew almost instantly. "Oh no." I muttered as she said it. "Jonas is dead. They killed him!" I nearly lost my footing when she did say it. "Oh shit." I said. This was too much. Dad leaving and Jonas dead? I was almost certain this was nothing but some twisted nightmare. "They thought he had helped your father get out. And they just killed him. W-w-when I saw it, I-I-I ran here to tell y-you." She stammered, and shook violently. "AMATA!!" I shouted grapping and shaking her. "Get a grip!"

After a moment she started calming down a bit, but it wasn't hard to guess. She was still terrified, so was I. I think. "Your right. It doesn't matter now. But you have got to get out of here." She said as the alarms continued to blare madly. That part didn't like the rest of the story, make sense. "What do you mean out of here? Where can I possibly go?" Where was a very good question, considering we were in a large metal vault under the earth. "I'm sorry, but--" She said, trying to place the words correctly. I stared at her, somehow expecting the answer. "But you'll have to follow your dad out."

"What? How am I suppose to do that? I mean I'm pretty sure the front door's crawling with your father's goons." I said. She nodded and stuck her hand into the back pocket of her jumpsuit. "Maybe this will help." She said and out of her blue outfit, came a 10mm Auto Pistol. I seized the weapon and gaped at her. "Where did you get this?!" I said as she also handed me three more magazines of ammo. "I stole it from my father's office. Radroaches also got in so you'll have to defend yourself." Great! Not only did she want me to bail from the Vault, but now she wanted me to kill someone. The first person that swam into mind was Butch. I quickly shook the idea from my head and refocused on the problem at hand though.

"You'll need to hack the computer in my father's office. It has a secret entrance under his desk." She told me as I still held the weapon. "And how do you know it's not an ambush?" I asked her as she looked behind her again. "Look it's the only real safe way to reach the Vault door."

"Alright, alright." I groaned, holstered the pistol, and pocketed the mags. "What about you?" She started out the door, only to turn and face me. "I'll meet you at the Vault door. Try to buy you some time if I can." She then disappeared around the corner.

I decided to stay behind and quickly grab some things off the nearby desk. Dad always kept some stimpacks. Just in case. After grabbing all ten and stashing them in a backpack, I also snatched a baseball bat I took from the team. I decided that taking the BB gun wasn't a good idea. The security officers wore riot gear so the pellets would just bounce right off them.

I nodded and ran out of me and dad's room. I had to lot to worry about; both the thugs of the Overseer, and Radroaches. Great. Which is exactly what I said when I was staring right at a security officer. I saw the bastard pull out his standard police baton and I myself raised the bat in my hands. Thankfully I really didn't need to fight, considering about four or five roaches started attacking him. He started screaming and swinging the nightstick madly, then vanished around a corner.

I approached the corridor slowly and just as cautiously peered around both corners. When I saw it was clear, I turned around the same corner the guard vanished. I guess since he wasn't there because he panicked and ran. I didn't let down my guard though.

It was halfway down the hallway I heard someone screaming. I thought it was the guard, so I raised the bat again. But the person who came running around the distant corner was actually, Butch? When saw me, he ran right up to me. "You got to help me. It's my mom, those roaches are gonna kill her." He said grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. Butch DeLoria, asking me for help? If the situation wasn't so serious, I'd give him shit till the day we both died. "Butch, I really don't have time for this." I said, and tried to push past him. He just wouldn't let go of me. "But my mom!" He shouted. "I can't believe this." I muttered to myself. "Butch, your scared of a couple roaches?!" I shouted and looked him in the eyes. And I saw, he was actually serious about this.

"Yeah, so I hate roaches, alright?" He said and quickly turned back towards his room. I knew Butch wouldn't joke around when it came to his mother. I didn't want to feel heartless and turn him down, but I had to get moving. "Fine. Here take this." I said and actually found myself handing the bat to him. "Have at em, cowboy." After I did, I pushed him back and ran by him. "Thanks man!" He shouted as I ran down the corridor.

I really didn't care much about Butch or his hung over mom, I just didn't want to feel like a prick doing it. As I rounded the next corner I saw about six more Radroaches in front of me. Before I even considered grabbing the weapon on my hip, a jet of flames erupted out of the wall next to them. "Take that you vile vermin!" A electronic voice shouted as the flames continued. A moment later, the silver Mr. Handy robot levitated out of an open doorway, it's saw blades and flamethrower working in overdrive. It didn't take long for 'Andy' to finish the oversized insects.

After the slagheap had eviscerated the roaches it turned on the spot and I guess you could say faced me. "Ah! Young Tristan!" The robot said in a delighted tone. "Tristan?" Another voice said, as a different security guard also appeared out of the doorway. He was missing his helmet, but still had his baton in hand. I recognized him, Gomez, one of the few kind people from my childhood.

Gomez faced me, and thinking I was about to run, he shouted out. "Hey! Hold on. I just want to talk to you." I really couldn't run anyways because there was only back. As he jogged over, I actually felt glad to see him. "Boy, your glad it was me who found you. The other's won't be so forgiving." I agreed with him. So far I hadn't gotten into any fights, yet. "Look, I don't know what you and your dad are up to, but frankly I don't care. Just what ever your doing, get going and I'll say I never saw ya."

My respect for Gomez grew that day. He was risking his own life to save mine. "Thanks Gomez." I said. "Yeah, well it just doesn't seem real. I can't believe what they did to Jonas. God damn that officer Mack." He said as I pushed past him. "Take care of yourself, Andy." I said as I ran past the robot and up the stairs. "And to you as well, young sir."

I managed to reach the atrium without any trouble, so far. Though I thought I was in trouble when I heard voices up ahead. As I hugged the wall, I kept going towards the source of the voices. "Tom, I don't know. Maybe we should just go back to our rooms." It was a woman's voice. "Mary this is it! We'll get out, just like the doctor." Tom said as I reached the atrium entrance. I knew both of them. It was the Holden's. "Tom wait!" Mary shouted. I just peeked around the corner and saw Tom running towards another corridor.

Just then I heard him shout. "It's me. Tom Holden." A heartbeat later I stiffened up with what I heard next. Gunfire. "TOM!!" Mary shouted and ran towards the same doorway. "Mary wait!" I shouted. As she turned to face me, more gunfire erupted and her body began to spasm. Pinkish clouds exploded from her body. I stood there horrified as she dropped to the ground.

I knew the guards were going to be rough, but killing people? Now I _had_ a good excuse to use that weapon Amata gave me. If these assholes were willing to shoot two unarmed people, I didn't even want to discuss it.

It wasn't hard to figure out that they must've heard me. Because two guards came running through the threshold. Both of them were armed with 10 mills. It was at this point I didn't even think about it. I just remember leaping out of the corner and started firing at them. I guess I did something right, because when I came too, both of them were dead and on the floor.

I just stood there, in shock at what I had just done. Because of me, two men had their lives taken from them. Guys with families. I felt almost hollow at this point. I guess killing a man isn't all that it's cracked up to be, huh? It was here a small voice came from the back of my head. _It was either them or you._ I shook my head. This was simply a lesson; either put things like this in the back of your head, or lay down next to them. Right?

I felt the feeling come back to my legs and walked over to the dead guards. I started rifling through their pockets for anything I might need. What I got was about four more magazines of ammunition, one of which I inserted into the gun. I also cannibalized the guns themselves. Spare parts. It doesn't take a genius to know the parts ware down after a while. I also grabbed a baton, because the bullets weren't worth the roaches if there were more.

So, now the only way to go now was forward, so to speak. Since the door in the hall where Tom was, didn't work I chose to go up. Behind me there was a door leading to the next level, the door being blocked by a locker. Worked for me as I knelt past the door and hurried upwards.

Remember the baton I grabbed? Well it wasn't a big shock that I had to use it. Three of those little turds were right there. I don't want to get into details but I made a good mess of the place. I certainly wasn't going to die because of some frigging bugs, never in a hundred years.

Once I made it to the second level and saw it was clear, I walked briskly towards the Overseer's office. When I ran past another resident shouting insults about me and my dad, which I ignored completely, I found myself in the server room. Yet again more damn roaches, never ends does it? Though I didn't have to face them alone.

Because it was Paul's dad that came in and killed them. Unfortunately he turned his nightstick on me. I took a blow to the shoulder and found myself ripping his mask off. Here I just started beating the crap out of his face. It seemed like an eternity before I came too and found Hannon dead. Me on top of him. His face now like chewed gum. I blocked out the image and just hurried out of that room.

After moving a little further along the hall, I heard some more voices. I figured it was more guards so I didn't pay it any attention. At first of course. But when I heard Amata, I stopped dead in my tracks. "I'm telling you, I don't know anything!" she said, almost hysterically. "Be reasonable Amata. Officer Mack may enjoy this, but I certainly do not." It was the Overseer. I was really afraid now. Not for me, but for Amata. They way her father talked, because of how calm, how emotionless it sounded. I knelt down and moved past the window. "Tristan's my friend! What does he have to do with this anyway?" Amata said, while I stopped and peered the window.

I saw her sitting on a chair, surrounded by Mack and the Overseer. Mack had his baton in hand. "Probably nothing. Which is why you need to tell me where he is, so we can talk to him." The Overseer said as he towered over his own daughter. When she didn't say anything, I saw the Overseer sighed and nodded to Mack.

Mack then raised his baton and actually struck Amata across the face. I stared in disbelief, at this situation. As well as in anger. "Amata, please stop making this difficult, and just tell us where he is." Her father said, as she began to sob. When she kept quiet, Mack hit again, this time even harder.

As my anger grew, Mack hit across the face again. "How can you do this, father?" She said, blood trickling down from her mouth. "Your own daughter!" As Mack raised his baton, the Overseer's arm stopped him. "Amata, don't be stubborn then. That last thing I wish is to do this." He said, his voice completely emotionless. "But the needs of the Vault come before the needs of a parent." My eyes widened when he said that. If that was the attitude he had, then…

Mack this time hit her so hard this time she screamed and was thrown off the chair. That did it! "MAAACK!!" I screamed and wheeled around the corner. Time seemed to slow down as both men spun around. By the time they had fully rotated, I had the 10mm pistol leveled. As I pulled the trigger, Mack's eyes widened. He saw what was coming and for the smallest sliver in time, realized he couldn't do anything. The air in front of the barrel exploded and Mack's head jerked backwards. As things came back to I guess normal speed, Mack simply just stood there, a hole right between his eyes. He let out a small groan and then fell backwards, rigid like a board.

Amata meanwhile had gotten to her feet and scrambled out of the room. That just left me and the Overseer. "You son of a bitch!" I said as I walked towards him, gun aimed at his head. He kept his cool demeanor, even as I pushed him back to the wall. "I certainly hope you have a realization of what you've just done." He said calmly. "Shut up and give me the password for the tunnel in your office." I said, relaxing slightly. "Oh is that all? I've dealt with punks like you before." He said, his eyes like steel. It was almost disturbing how calm he was. "And I'm not impressed."

"Yeah?" I said squeezing the grip tighter. "I think your pretty lucky at this point." He merely scoffed. "Oh? And why is that?" The Overseer said, still confident. At this point I just drove my left fist right into the crown of his head. He just fell backwards, unconscious. "Amata's my friend. And lord knows I should kill you." I said, not caring if he heard me or not. I turned and walked right out of the room. "But I won't."

Since my thoughts were current on Amata, I started thinking where she ran off to. I was unsure as I approached the Overseer's office. That was when I heard sobbing. It was coming from the family's room. "Amata." I breathed and hurried in.

What I found wasn't Amata though. It was the body of Jonas. He was lying next to a desk, spread eagle, his eyes, thankfully, were closed. The collar of his white lab coat was stained with blood. From what it was, Mack had crushed his skull. As I looked over him, I sighed painfully. It wasn't necessary. Killing him wasn't necessary.

Then I noticed something next to his hand. A holotape. A recording. From dad no doubt. Most likely an explanation as to why he left. I knelt down to Jonas and picked it up. I decided just to pocket it for now and listen later.

I decided to look for Amata again. I found her in her room, sitting at a table, still weeping. "Amata." I said, she pulled her face out of her hands, and stared at me. I became unnerved when she did though. The way she saw me now, a mix of both gratitude, and they way you look at a person, when you don't know them. She sniffled and said, "Thank you. I knew my father was out of control!" It was then her eyes flashed. "You didn't--" She began, and it hurt that she thought that way of me. I just shook my head. "I'm not going to be the reason you bury him."

I decided it was best to get going and I let her have the time to herself. As I entered the office, I kept my head on a swivel. Since that bastard didn't give me what I wanted I had to ransack the place. After raiding some lockers, where I found more ammunition, and stimpacks did I find it. Once I had the password in hand, I entered it into the computer.

The desk behind me rumbled and started rising to the ceiling. Amata was right. Beneath the desk was the stairwell leading towards the what I knew was the way to the Vault door. I guessed, after taking out two more roaches, I reached the door.

It was pretty straight forward at this point, just pull the lever. Hopefully. That is what I'm actually praying for. Once I slammed the switch down, the door began rumbling and screeching. After a moment of this and gears turning, did the massive cog-shaped door rolled out of the way.

Amata had ran through the threshold I came through and stood in awe it. We both did. "Oh my god. You actually did it. You opened it." I chuckled and said, "Yeah. How bout that, huh?" I laughed victoriously, knowing I just did something no one ever did, or even had to guts to do.

"Well, I know I couldn't have done it without ya, eh Amata?" I said and faced her. When I did she looked down. "No." She said, surprising me. "You didn't need me. And if anybody can make it out there, it's you." She said ruefully. I didn't like where this was going. "If you see your father, tell him I'm sorry. For what happened, you know, with Jonas."

Suddenly the door behind us, was being pounded on. "He's in the entry chamber! Get that door open!" A man's voice came from beyond the steel door. "Shit." I muttered and looked out to the tunnel, it lead up to a simple wooden door with light pouring out of it.

I turned to Amata, looking under pressure. "Amata please." I said simply, glancing to the steel hatch. She knew what I was talking about and just grinned. "Amata, come with me." I said, sounding more serious. To my shock but not to my surprise, she shook her head. "No. It's tempting, but my place is here. I'm the only one who can talk some sense into my father."

By now the door was really being worked over and time was running out. "This is where I say 'good luck'. And--" She started but hesitated for a moment. As the guards were only seconds from getting through she said, "Good-bye."

The door flung open and two security guards flowed through. I turned to the Vault door and ran flat out through it. I guess I didn't need to because after I did both guards stopped. "Get after him!" One shouted, but neither of them did. "No way man!" The second shouted and walked back from the door. "Fine! Then seal it."

I stopped and as the alarm blared and metal screeched, I watched as my whole life as I knew it was closing before my eyes. I panted as I saw Amata's face one last time before the door rolled into place. Then with even shriller screeches it slid into the lock. And just like that, I was now a refugee.

I turned back to the wooden door ahead of me. I guess this was the part where I walked through? Even as I soldiered on, I kept wondering what this new world would be like. I knew and did find out. As I slowly placed my hand on the boards and pushed.

_That was a long chapter! But only took me four days to write. Hopefully I did alright with this chapter. Well you know the rules, read then review people. Later._


	3. Chapter 3

_Okay, chapter 3. Finally. Now this is where imagination takes over. Though I'm going to follow the main quest line of the game, I'm going to do in a way that makes sense. Another note, is I'm also adding elements from some of the downloads in this thing. What they are, will be known later._

_The reason it took so long was, I'm getting ready for the crazy holidays, I'm working towards college, I'm looking for a job, and I had to do some research. Not to mention I'm also working on two novels, at once. After this chapter I'm halting any writing till after the next year. I'm not quitting, so relax._

Chapter Three

As my eyes became focused after stepping through the blinding light, I stood there. Because when I could see, I didn't know what to think. Before me, was a landscape beyond comprehension. No not like a paradise, far from it. As I stepped forward, I wasn't even sure what I was seeing.

The landscape was barren, bleak, and dead. Debris from destroyed buildings laid everywhere, Boulders bigger than belief dotted the landscape. Off in the distance a distant city, what used to be Washington D.C, stood, or tried to. Even from the distance I was at, I saw a large obelisk like structure right in the center of town. The sky was like the earth, brown, desolate, and empty.

I stood there, next to a bent metal sign that was a scenic lookout, just standing there. I heard the outside was nothing but a wasteland. But this…it was…I don't know; misery. That was the first word that came to mind.

Then it was the sun I noticed. I looked up and stared, briefly, at that terrible bright light. Not only was it shining very brightly, but the heat was almost unbearable. Also I noticed a slight stinging sensation on my head, neck and my exposed hands. Since I had apprenticed under dad for a while, I guessed it was radiation. One could guess that the great war had weaken the protective shield around the planet.

I knew I couldn't stay there, just soaking up rads. I needed to find shelter. I needed to get off that cliff. After panning in both directions, I saw an old burned out neighborhood. It was better then nothing. So I walked back away from the cliff and down the other side.

While walking towards the houses, I saw a puddle of dank water in the middle of the road. I stopped right next to it and knelt down. It wasn't smart, but I needed water. I cupped my hands together and hating every moment of it, sipped from the murky liquid. The taste was awful! Hell it was so bad, I _had_ to spit it out. "Oh, god!" I said.

It was then I heard someone laughing behind me. I stood up and drew my 10mm, aiming it at the source. When I did, I saw a woman. She had a leather outfit, shin high boots, fingerless gloves, draped over by a long brown trench coat. A grayish ball hat was perched on her head. Two straps looped over her shoulders meaning a backpack. All of which were tattered, patched, torn, faded, and dusty. An assault rifle dangled over her left shoulder. When I looked more closely, her skin was had golden brown tint. Black hair was tied in a pony-tail over her left shoulder. And her eyes, by far the greenest eyes I've seen.

When I pointed the gun at her, she held up her hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy kid." she said, actually smiling. I as pretty surprised when she did. I was just surprised just to see someone, this early outside the Vault. "Relax, Vault dweller." She said, slowly lowering her hands. "How do you know I just won't kill you?" I asked, keeping the gun pointed at the stranger. "Well, if you were," she said, slowly pulling out a package of cigarettes and a lighter. "You would've done it already."

Unfortunately this was the truth. I was curious, and interested in this person. "Okay, so…" I started, lowering the weapon. She lit the cigarette and chuckled. After taking a drag and exhaling the smoke into the air, she finished what I was going to ask. "So how do _you_ know that _I'm_ not going to kill you?" She then stared into my eyes. "Well, you need a place to stay. You need food. _And_," She added great emphasis to it. "I don't have a reason to kill you."

She pulled up her assault rifle and held it on her shoulder. "Not yet anyway." The mysterious woman said, and started walking towards me. When she was right before me, she stopped, and held up her hand. "Chloe. Chloe Flynn." I apprehensively gripped the open hand and shook it. "Tristan."

She nodded, then pulled her bag off. After opening it up, she stuck her hand in, and it came out with a bottle of clear water. "Here. On the house." Chloe said as she handed the water to me. I said thanks and immediately took a drink. The taste was perfect, cool, clean and pure. I drained the bottle in only a few seconds. As I handed the bottle back to Flynn, she grinned. "The rest you'll have to work for."

It was then she told me about a nearby settlement only an hour's walk from there. Megaton, the name of the city, was basically right beneath Vault 101. It was a waypoint for scavengers, traders, and refugees in the wasteland. Chloe told me that it was just a hole in the ground made of old parts, and walled off. She also said, it kept raiders and the indigenous wildlife away. Since I haven't seen anything of those categories yet, I couldn't complain.

As we passed by the neighborhood, Springvale as the corroded sign said, something caught my attention. It was right in front of us. A large floating metal orb, coming right at us. It was a robot. Antennas jutted out of both the top and bottom, the front was grilled with a checkered formation. "What the hell is that?" I asked, feeling my hand creep towards my weapon. "Don't worry about that. It's an Enclave radio robot." Both of us stood aside as it just floated past us. "Who's the Enclave?" I asked as we just kept walking. To my surprise, Chloe just shrugged. "Don't know. Those things have been around my whole life, never met anyone said he was Enclave."

Finally after walking for an hour, and with the sun beginning to set behind us, we reached the gates of Megaton. It really was a city of scrap. Hanging over the gates, was an extremely large engine, and a catwalk that ran around the whole town. In front of the gate, was a Protectron robot, 'Deputy Weld' Chloe called it. And scattered around the gate, were the bodies of ants. That's right, A-N-T-S, ants. They were twice the size of Radroaches, with a yellowish tint. "Bug troubles?" I asked. Chloe laughed, "Yeah. But fixed by our own Stockholm." She then waved her arm up towards the catwalks. Only then did I noticed a man was on those rails, a rifle in his hands.

Just then, the engine began whining and spinning up. As the turbines got faster, the sound got shriller. At it's peak, the gates rose up, going in either direction. After a moment they thudded to a halt and the engine began to whine down. "Welcome to Megaton. The bomb is perfectly safe. We promise." The old slagheap said as we passed by him. Hearing the word 'bomb' I turned on the spot. "What did he say?" It wasn't that I was scarred, I was stupid. Getting that close to a bomb? Huh! Maybe I should've stayed in the Vault.

As we entered through the doors, Megaton was now revealed to me. It was sloping downwards towards the center of the crater. The houses were pieced together from corrugated tin sheets, wood, and scraps of other materials. Most were built on stilts and platforms for stability. While others were just built on top of each other. Large pipes were spider webbed all over the town, and many were spouting small veins of water.

At this moment a man wearing a duster like Chloe's, a cowboy hat, and strapped on his back was a Chinese assault rifle approached us. "Well, I'll be damned. Your from that Vault, Vault 101." He said in a thick accent. "Yea, another stray, Simms." Chloe said as she slapped me on the back. "I ain't seen one of them jumpsuits in a long time." The man Simms said as he stopped short of us. I was intrigued by this. How could a guy like Simms know what our jumpsuits looked like? The Vault, aside from me and Dad, had never been opened.

"Name's Lucas Simms. Town sheriff and the mayor when the need arises." He added with a smug. "Now I don't know why," He said looking hard at me. "But I like you kid. So welcome to Megaton." He said with a grin and motioning to the town. "He told me someone else came out yesterday. His Father?" Chloe asked me, and I nodded. "Yeah, he was a middle aged guy, salt and pepper beard, bout my height?" I said explaining it to Lucas.

He shook his head, "Sorry kid. But I got enough fires to deal with. Try asking around town." Simms shrugged and walked past us. "Don't worry, if he's still here, you'll find him." Chloe said as she lead me down the sloped steps. "Well, I think we should try the Brass Lantern first. Jenny would've remembered him if he went there." Chloe said as my eyes darted from place to place.

What I saw next, stopped me dead in my tracks. "Ho-ly shit." I said in shock. What I was looking at, was an enormous, rusted, corroded atomic bomb. It jutted out of an ankle deep pool of murky water. "Uh- Chloe?" I asked still staring at the weapon. She turned and followed my gaze. "Oh. Don't worry. It's a dude." She said, patting me on the shoulder. I still didn't like the idea of an unexploded atomic weapon only fifty feet from me.

As we approached a small bar, a woman in a yellow jumpsuit approached us. "Hey Chloe. What'll you have?" She asked as she leaned across the bar. "Nothing right now, Jenny. Did an older guy happen to stop by here within the last few hours?" Chloe asked. Jenny rolled her eyes up, thinking hard. "You know, I think I did see someone go up to Moriarity's Saloon." She said, and Chloe sighed when she heard the answer. "I was afraid you'd say that."

So she led me past the bomb and back up another slope. This time to the inside of another bar. Inside I saw several patrons both either sitting and standing. One particular guy really caught my attention; his skin looked like it had been flaked off, his hair was none existent, and his eyes were black. "Why won't this thing work?!" He said, banging his fist down on a small radio. His voice was scratchy and guttural. This guy was really messed up. "I told you Gob. It's not the radio. The Enclave station comes through just fine. It's Galaxy News, they're signal's been shit lately." A woman with frazzled hair said as she exhaled a puff of smoke. "Why…won't…you…work?!" Gob said hitting the radio with every word. "Goddamn radio!" He said, finally giving up.

Both of me and Chloe approached the bar, and Gob stood right in front of us. "Hey Gob." Chloe said as she sat down. "Hey Smoothskin. What'll you have?" He asked me, ignoring Chloe at the moment. "Uh, I'm not sure just yet." I said, not really bothered by his appearance. "Wait. You not gonna yell at me? Insult me? Not even berate me a little?" Gob asked, looking surprised. "No. Should I?" I asked him casually. "Hey thanks man. I gotta take shit from every asshole in this dive." He said, looking relieved. I can see why. "Listen kid, Moriarity would have my ass if I sell booze at a discount. But for you, I'll make an exception."

When Chloe heard this, she became elated. "Well, I guess it was good I didn't shoot you huh?" She said slapping me on the back. "Yeah. I guess so." So the two of us just sat there, drinking beer. "So your dad just runs off in the night, and he doesn't tell ya?" She asked me as I took a swig from the bottle. "Yeah. I don't get it. He didn't have a reason to."

Just then a man's voice boomed from a room behind the bar. "GOB!!" The source of the voice, an old man, with a thick accent thundered through the threshold. "When the hell are you going to give me my caps you owe?" He shouted at the Ghoul. "I'm sorry Moriarty." Gob said as he lowered his head and took the abuse. "Eh, you bloody shuffler, get out of here!" Moriarty said smacking the air by Gob.

"Hey Irish. You always gotta be hard on him?" Chloe asked. He turned on the spot. "When he no longer owes me money, then I'll give him a break." Moriarty said, real grouchy like. "Never mind. Now listen, I got a kid here that's looking for his old man." Chloe said, pointing at me.

I saw something in his eyes. Something like, remembrance. "Why it's you. The little lad from the vault." Moriarty said, startling me. How was it that some thug knew who I was? "Aye, your da was here, but now he's not." Now I was really confused. He knew me and my father, how? "I take it your looking for him, and you've come to old Moriarty to know where he's gone."

"Wait a minute. How do you know me and my father?" I asked. "Oh, I've met you before. Your dad, his Brotherhood of Steel friend, and you the suckling babe with nary a tit to suckle on." Moriarty said as he leaned up against the wall. My mind was spinning. How? "I remember it so well. I would, because you three stayed in my pub." Chloe scoffed when she heard this. "Yeah, I bet you charged them double too."

I held up my hands and still tried to make sense of this. So the Vault door had been opened before? "Ok, look, I don't care about the Vault or how I got there. I just want to know where my dad is." I said. When I said that, Moriarty's eyes lit up. "Ah, so it's information you want, huh?" He said, then started shaking his head and clicking his tongue. "Sorry, lad. But information is a commodity." He said. Chloe scoffed again. "You never miss an opportunity huh, Colin?" She said folding her arms. Moriarty shot her a look, "Hey, I'm a businessman. And I am in business to make money." He said and turned back to me. "Besides I'm going to make a generous offer." Some how I didn't believe he knew what 'generous' meant.

"I'm only asking for 100 caps and I'll tell you where your dad went." Moriarty said, and Chloe nearly lost it. "Does it look like this kid has _any_ caps." She said, sounding furious. "Well, then I can't help." Moriarty said as he straightened up and was about to leave. I stepped in front of him and stopped him. "Moriarty, just tell me what to do get some caps." I said, sounding borderline desperate. "Tristan, he's not worth it." Chloe said, trying to convince me of it. But I did want to hear it.

Moriarty sighed. "Alright kid. Now that I'm thinking about it," He said and put his hand on my shoulder. "One of my last girls ran off with a lot of my caps. Her name's Silver." He looked me in the eyes and I saw a serious look. "Get me those caps and I'll tell you where your dad is." Without even thinking it through, I nodded. "Alright, where is she?" I said, and Moriarty laughed. "That's the spirit lad. Last I heard she was hole up in Springvale."

After he said it I turned around and headed for the door. Chloe looked at me, then at the barkeeper, then back at me. Before she could say anything I was out the door. "Wait, Tristan." She said and stopped me at the railing. "Look. I understand you want to find you dad. But you can't do it by working with a scumbag like Moriarty." I actually laughed hoarsely when she said that. "What do you want me to do? I'm in a world that I've got no clue about, and my dad is missing." I said shrugging. "I'm against the ropes here Chloe. I don't have a choice." I turned and headed down the ramp. "Look, there are other ways, give me time and I'll get what you need to know." Chloe said, following me. "My father may already be dead and I won't have any idea as to why." I said, not stopping as I headed for the gate. "I need answers Chloe. And if working for shit heads like Moriarty get me there, then I'll do it."

She groaned and rubbed her eyes. "Ah, then I'm going with you." She said and I did turn around. "What? No your not." I said. "Kid, it's almost dark, and there's a lot worse out there then you can even imagine." She said as she walked past me. Chloe then stopped and turned to me. "So?" I asked shrugging. "So, if you think you get very far out there with just that pee-shooter of yours, your either stupid or crazy." She said firmly. I just stood there as she turned around and started walking. "You coming?" Chloe asked.

Well she was right. It became almost pitch-black out, and if you thought it looked scary enough when it was bright and sunny, then this was an absolute nightmare. What came out at this time, like Chloe said, I don't even want to imagine.

After two hours of walking, we reached a gas station with a big sign that said, 'Megaton' in yellow paint. Chloe's whispered voice came out of the darkness, startling me. "If Silver is still in Springvale, then there's only two places; either that house." She pointed to a brown house with it's windows boarded up, that was on the left. "Or she's in the school." The large building missing it's roof on the right. "Let's try the house first." I said, since it was right there. "Good idea."

When we reached the door, both of us saw that this one, wasn't boarded. In fact it was really untouched. "Wait a minute." I said, startling Chloe. "What?" She asked, sounding anxious. "It just occurred to me; but if this lady thinks that Moriarty is wanting to get his money back, then you think she might thinks that we're here…to…" I said pointing at the door. It didn't take Chloe long to figure out what I meant. She took a quick glance at the door and said, "Well, you better hope that if she thinks that, she isn't armed."

That was a hope I really wanted to happen. As Chloe held up her assault rifle in her right hand, she used her left to turn the door knob. While she did, I thought it was best to keep the 10mm at my side.

Inside it sort of stank, like chems. The smell of Jet. Ah Jet. It sadly like all narcotics in history were intended for medical use in some way. Jet was meant for anesthesia. Of course it like all drugs, it became abused. I laughed quietly when that smell reached my nostrils. If you could actually smell the shit, then it was being abused. Heavily.

"Someone's here, alright." I whispered as I moved to the right of the kitchen. "Yeah." Chloe said in a hushed tone. "But is it our girl?" She then took her eyes off the doorway in front of us. She only did that for a moment.

When she did, something screamed like a banshee. When both of us looked, standing in that doorway was a woman with curly blonde hair, a maroon hooded sweater, white pants, shin high black leather boots, and in her hands, which I didn't like seeing was a hunting rifle. And guess who she aimed it at. "Oh Christ!" I shouted as I moved just get out of the way of that rifle. No sooner did I, the rifle cracked and I felt the pieces of the wall hit me in the back. I had been so spooked by the sudden appearance that I actually leapt on the stove.

When I saw Chloe raise her rifle at the mad woman. "Chloe wait! This might be her! This might be her!" I shouted. Besides the woman was struggling to re-cock the weapon. Either it had jammed or she was higher than a kite. "Yeah! In the meantime she's--" Chloe shouted at me, and then looked back at the firearm female. She had gotten it loaded and pointed it at Chloe. "SHOOTING AT US!!" Chloe finished and dropped as the rifle fired. The wall where her head was exploded. Now that she had figured out how to reload the damn thing, she did that, then pointed it back at me. "Oh shit!" I shouted and rolled off the stove as the bullet hit and buried itself in the cast iron, sparking and making a pinging sound.

Chloe had had enough and ran forward after the mad woman fired at me. She tackled the lady hard and both women disappeared behind the doorway. When I had my chance I got to my feet and ran in after them. I found Chloe on top of the tweaked lunatic and her arm on her throat. As I skidded to a halt above their heads, I drew my pistol, and leveled it on the blonde's head.

Both me and Chloe were panting hard, while the junkie was grunting as she struggled to get Flynn off her. "Your name Silver?" I asked as I tried to catch my breath. The woman stopped struggling and sighed. "Yeah. If your Moriarty's thugs, then do what your gonna do." She said angrily. "What? Kill you?" I asked, as I de-cocked the pistol. "That's exactly the opposite of what I'm gonna do." I said as I holstered the weapon. "Chloe get off." I said, as I walked back a few feet. When she didn't, I said it more firmly. "Get off!" Grudgingly she did so.

I sighed, and knelt down. "Silver, we're not here to kill you." I said and gave her my hand. As both of us stood, I finished, "But Moriarty did send us." Silver scoffed. "I'm not surprised. Those caps are mine, I earned them fair and square." She said, but I held up my hand. "Look, I don't care what happened, but I need those caps." I said. Silver shot me a look of pure anger. "HA! As if that's gonna happen."

Chloe who had remained quiet, spoke up, saying, "How much did you take?" "I didn't take anything. I earned it. 300 caps." She said, a little pride in her voice. "Well, can't you spare a hundred of those caps?" Chloe asked, trying to be calm about this. "If you do that, then we'll go back to Colin and say your long gone." Either she was blackmailing Silver or she was negotiating with her.

Silver was caught off guard with this offer. "You'd do that?" She asked, looking at both of us. "Sure, it's the least we can do." I said as I picked up the rifle and made sure it was a good distance from Silver. "Yeah, alright. Sure." Silver said, shrugging and walked over to a table with a few bags sitting on top. She picked up two of them, a clinking sound coming from the bags. "With Moriarty out of my hair, I'll be able to shoot up into a stupor." She said handing us the bags. "That's uh, that's good for you." I said as I slung the rifle over my shoulder.

"We better get back." Chloe said as she tied the bag on to her belt. "I don't like being out here." She and I then headed for the door. "Huh-uh. I'm keeping this." I said when Silver wanted her rifle back. And with that we were out the door and on our way back to Megaton.

_Well, I said I was going to quit till after Jan. 2. That's a promise kids. Any way review what you thought, and again sorry it took so long._

_Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays._


	4. Chapter 4

_Well, it's a new decade. And a fresh time to start writing and coming up with new ideas._

_I left off with Tristan returning to Megaton with Moriarty's caps. Anyway to add realism to this story, it's going to take place over a extended period of time. More will be explained in this chapter._

Chapter Four

It had been eight weeks since I delivered the caps to the Irishman. Eight weeks since I had become an exile in a strange and as I've found, unforgiving world. And eight weeks since my father had vanished.

In the note I had gotten the day I left the Vault, he said he left because he needed to. Said I would be angry with him because of it. And yes, I was for a little while. That didn't matter after eight weeks though. Considering he might be dead by now.

Getting back to why I stayed at Megaton, it was a matter of reason. When Moriarty told me that my father had gone to D.C. in search of the Galaxy News Radio station and the DJ, Three-Dog, I nearly headed out for the city at that moment. It was Chloe who convinced me otherwise. Though admiring my determination, she said I was being stupid in going to the city so under equipped. Said I would just get killed before I even made it to D.C.

So I stayed. I decided to cut off any real links to the past, namely my jumpsuit. So I traded it in for leather armor and boots, a brown duster, and a wide brimmed hat, all of which offered fabulous protection against that evil sun. I also traded in both the rifle I took from Silver, and the 10mm pistol for an R-91 assault rifle, and a .32 caliber Titan revolver. I chose these because though the hunting rifle was just as reliable as the R-91, it was too slow for my tastes. As for the revolver with it's stainless steel parts, it was more rugged than the 10mm, since it was also prone to jam from dust. Plus Chloe told me that .32 ammo was in mass as much as the 10mm ammo.

If anyone from the Vault came out and saw me now, heh, they wouldn't recognize me. My hair had grown down to the tip of my neck and shoulders. I was in need of a serious shave, and I think I might've grown an inch. Plus I grew a lot more mature and a litte somber.

Since I stayed I had to fine a way to make money, enough to feed me, and to get me to the only settlement in D.C., Rivet city. Chloe came through yet again when she offered me a job with the scavenger team for hire she was part of. It included her and four others.

The first was Fitch. This guy didn't take any nonsense and shit from any one, he was both aged and tough. He was in charge. The second member was a guy named Link. He was most noticeable with the both his facial and shoulder length hair. Link was the more quiet member, but he was as strong as an oxen. Then you got Jamie Flynn, Chloe's fraternal twin. Though there was barely anything apart from them, the only differences was their hair and eye colors. Jamie's was sandy blonde, and had light hazel-blue eyes. She was very much like her sister, calm, intelligent, decisive. Finally there was a kid named Kai. Heh, I say 'kid' to a literal extent. He was only sixteen years old. He was always asking questions, and many times getting in the way. Why Fitch kept him around is beyond me.

This motley crew of scavengers would get orders by some fat one-eyed bastard named Charlie Randall. We head out into the wastes, and bring back mostly scrap metal or junked robot parts, give it to Randall, and he'd give us a cut of the profits.

Unfortunately getting the parts required big risk, most of these parts were in Metros, and buildings, amazingly still standing after both a nuclear holocaust and two centuries of abuse. Another downside to this arrangement was that pig Randall was always nickel and dimming us. He'd promise us a hundred, we'd get fifty. The sad part is, Fitch, despite being a tough guy, wasn't brave enough to stand up to Randall. Fat bastard has at least 10 hired killers working for him. At least.

So there I was, with these renegades, waiting for another job at the Brass Lantern. As we either sat at or leaned against the bar, eating, drinking, or smoking. "What do you think Randall's got for us next?" Kai asked with a mouthful of squirrel bits. "Kai, if you don't stop spitting chunks over my bar…" Jenney said as she wiped away the meat bits. "Don't know kid." I said as I took a drink from a bottle of Nuka-Cola. "Asking about it, won't make it happen faster." Link said.

"Well, whatever it is," Jamie began as she shifted her gaze up to Moriarty's saloon, where Fitch and Randall were meeting. "That pig is gonna swindle us, as usual." That was apparent. "If Fitch grew a pair when he met with Randall--" I started, but I felt Chloe's hand slapped the back of my head. "Fitch is a lot braver than you give him credit, Tristan." She said, a little fire in her eyes. "There isn't one person who works for Randall, aside from his flunkies, that doesn't want to smash him in the face." She sighed, heavily. "I knew I guy who actually tried to." Chloe then cocked her thumb at the saloon. "Those idiot thugs chopped him to pieces before he got ten feet."

I starred up to the saloon after she said that and saw Fitch coming out. "Guys." I said causing them that weren't already facing that direction, turned around. It took him a moment, but the scarred and balding man finally stood before us. "Well, we got us a job." Fitch said as he ordered a beer. "Wait. Wait, let me guess," Kai said as he stood up and smirked. "Uh-oh, Kai's guessing. Run for cover." I said, as the others chuckled. "Hah, no seriously. The first…" Kai said, trying to add suspense. "The first is finding a way for you to grow hair." When he said that, the rest of us couldn't help but snicker. "Second, is to find a whole Brahmin to stuff up Randall's ass." With that we couldn't help but laugh. Even Link and Fitch cracked a smile.

"No. We're to head into the 97th street metro, picking up some robot parts." Fitch said, as he took a swig from the beer. "What?" Chloe said, sounding disappointed. "More Mr. Handy parts?" "No Smartass. We're going for the big toys. Sentry bots." Fitch said. When he did, I nearly spat out the soda in my mouth. "Uh, Fitch?" Link said, turning to his boss. "The few Sentries we have encountered were active, and trying _very_ hard to kill us." The black man only shook his head. "Not these ones. The National guard left them off in the metro should the Chinese have invaded." Made sense.

"There's only one problem," Fitch said, his tone dropping drastically. "What?" Jamie asked as all of us starred at him. We got our answer, and it both surprised, and angered us. "We have to take three of Randall's men with us." Fitch said. As we let out our protests he just held up his hand. "Look, we don't have the choice." Fitch told us as we grumbled and muttered angrily. "Hey think of it this way, we're gonna get 250 caps for each out of this bull." He said. _That_ we didn't mind. If those robots were worth a G apiece and if there was one for each of us, that meant 252 caps for all of us.

We sighed, or nodded and accepted the price. "Alright. Yall know what to do, enough food, ammo, and supplies for a week total." He said as he headed up to one of the common houses.

That was a rule of thumb, enough supplies for a week, should we be out longer than expected. That way we won't starve or only have a handful of ammunition against Super Mutants.

"Listen, I'm going up to Moira's and getting what I need." I said as I paid for the drink and left the group. I moved past the clinic and up the ramp. After doing this twice I entered Craterside Supply.

The first things one notices when stepping inside, were the mercenary that Brown hired to protect the shop, the workbench where she fiddled at, and of course, Moria Brown herself in that RobCo jumpsuit. "Moira." I said as I took my rifle off and rested it against the counter. "Oh hey Tristan." She said cheerfully. She walked around the wood counter and by the armored 101 jumpsuit. "I think I found a new way to prepare Radroach meat. Though it still tastes kind of like bad feet." She added the last bit with a mutter. I quickly held up my hands and said, "That's interesting Moira, but I'm here on business. The others are gonna be up here eventually with the same requests." I said as I leaned on the counter, keeping my eye on that mercenary. "Which will be enough food, and ammunition for a week's travel."

She nodded and went to work, gather up 5.56 and .32 bullets. As well as bringing out her entire food inventory. When I finished reaching in and filling up the many magazines and loaders, Moira totaled it all up and said, 173 caps.

After paying the appropriate amount I turned around, picked up my rifle, and walked out.

After an hour of waiting by the gates, the rest of the team, as well as the three hired men for Randall, finally arrived. "So," Fitch said he stopped right in front of me. The others looked eager to get going. "We're ready?" A moment of hesitation went by before the rest of us, save Randall's men, all nodded. "Alright." Fitch said, and then tilted his head towards the gate. "Lets go."

We pushed the doors open and after me and Chloe made sure they were shut, began our journey towards the city.

The 97th metro was a mechanical line that ran parallel to the main lines of Falls Church and the Marigold lines under Grayditch. It would take about a day to reach the 97th. Until then, we kept our heads on a swivel and our weapons ready.

The group was set into two single-file lines. Fitch and Link were at the head of these lines, Jamie and Kai were behind them, Chloe and me after, then finally the three other guys behind us.

"Hey Chloe?" I asked, while keeping my voice down. I had learned the hard way to try and stay as quiet as possible. Considering my leg _still_ hurt from that frigging Mole Rat popping out of that hole and trying to tear it off.

"What's up?" She asked as she kept looking around, looking north for any signs of movement. "Something just occurred to me, do we know anything about this metro line? Or ever been in it for that matter?"

This was something that was bothering me. More after she said no to both questions. Going into a place that was nether known about or been traversed by was a very frightening prospect. "Not getting cold feet are you, scrap monkey?" One of Randall's said. Rather loudly as well.

Another feature I had forgotten to mention about Randall's men was they were also assholes. As well as being stupid.

"No. I'd just feel better if I knew we weren't walking into a Ghoul lair." I answered him quietly. "Your right. He's a pussy alright." The same guy said, as they began guffawing loudly. "No he isn't. Now shut up!" Chloe said angrily and faced them. Though they quieted down, they were still snickering to each other.

* * *

As night began falling, we had finally reached the service entrance of metro 97. Since we were all tired and hungry, we decided that we would barricade ourselves in the small chamber and spend the remainder of the night there.

One member would take watch for an hour before he could eat and then get to sleep. Link decided he would go first. He stood just around the door in the hallway.

As I bit down on a piece of Salisbury steak, I tried keeping close to the fire we had started. We left the door to the outside open only slightly to let the smoke out. A nice bit of food, and warm fire could make anyone relax.

During the whole period, no one said hardly a word. Even Randall's men knew it was smarter to stay quiet in the metros. All the same, all of us had this uneasy feeling. If you were in a dark, unknown, metallic place, hoping that your maker wasn't around the next corner, you'd understand.

After everyone had gone asleep, Fitch woke me. My shift. "Bite some Sugar Bombs, they'll keep you awake for an hour." He said as he laid his head on his bag. "Yeah." I said sleepily.

Time seemed to go by excruciatingly slow. Not to mention I was starting to miss that fire. It had gotten cold, very quickly, even to the point where you could barely see your breath.

That's when it started to happen. I swore I started hearing low and indistinctive noises coming from the right side walls, and from some of the open ceiling panels. The parts of these that were exposed were pitch black, so if something was hiding in those shadows, I couldn't see it. But I had that very uneasy feeling.

The kind you get when someone or…something could see _you_.

Something in my mind told me to turn the light of my Pip-boy on. I didn't worry about it being seen around the corner of the next corridor, it wasn't that strong anyways. It helped me get some peace of mind, because after I had done that and sat down against the wall, the noises were gone.

* * *

An hour and a half after these slight scare, and Chloe taking her shift, did we move out again.

I kid you not, this was a long metro line, easily going down about four or five stories. It was also getting colder. It got to the point to where he had to wear gloves so our fingers didn't stick to the metal of our weapons.

Not wanting to be blind in the growing darkness, Link, Fitch, and Jamie each pulled out red flares and lit up the whole tunnel.

As we went further down, Fitch began marking turns we made with bright green markers. Even a fool knows its very easy to get lost down in those tunnels. And getting lost in something else's territory was not a good idea.

I was taking up the rear of the group. I guess it was the right idea at the time. All twenty seconds of it.

Then it happened again, those damn noises, and that feeling something was watching us. It made the hairs on my neck stand, as I slowly turned around.

There wasn't anything behind us. But the feeling didn't go away. This worried me even more; something was following us and I couldn't see it.

Chloe's sudden appearance behind me, and her speaking nearly threw me out of my boots. When I caught my breath she asked, "Something up?" I didn't take my eyes of the tunnel we just came through. "I got this really bad feeling." I then starred at her next to me. "Feeling like we're being watched. Followed even."

Both of us starred down the black tunnel. "Your not alone there. Had it for about an hour." She told me as we began walking briskly to catch up with the others.

"So, we're not alone down here, are we?" I asked feeling more cold and frightened than before.

"No. We're not."

_Okay, not as long as chapter three, but definitely building suspense for the next chapter. I'm not giving anything away so you'll have to find out for yourselves._

_Oh and if your wondering about the sudden change in my writing style, I just figured I try out a new technique. So give me some feedback on the chapter and the change in style._


	5. Chapter 5

_**So I got Chapter five all ready. I left off with the Scav team in the metro, and something was supposedly following them. What you ask? Well, find out. Oh, and when we do be sure to read the text at the bottom.**_

_**Also I worked over the holidays so that's why Ch.5 was up right behind 4.**_

_**Without further ado, time to read.**_

**Chapter Five**

**It took us an hour to get down to where Fitch said the junked Sentries were. Thank the lord to. Because these feelings of being tailed, and the damn cold were really starting to get to us.**

**After checking a corner with both a flashlight and my rifle, finding it empty, I signaled the others to move up. We had to go with the lights because the flairs had burned out and it was as dark as it could possibly get.**

**After walking quietly down the corridor another hundred feet or so, we reached a large utility door. These doors needed to be hacked, so that's where Kai came in. There was only one way in, so all of us turned around to keep an eye open while he worked to get the doors open.**

**He muttered as he began typing in possible passwords. "That's not it." He said, as he kept trying to find the right word. "Would you hurry up?" Fitch seethed through his teeth. **

**After a moment, we heard a beep on the console and the doors slid open. "Got it." Kai said as he readied his 10mm SMG. With that all of us immediately followed behind him.**

**And right there, were at least seven deactivated Sentry Bots. These behemoths were meant fight along side combat troops. They were armed with a rocket launcher in their left arm, and either a Minigun, or the laser equivalent, the Gatling Laser cannon.**

**None of that mattered these ones though. They probably had been offline for decades.**

"**Alright, lets take them apart as quickly and quietly as we can." Fitch said as we dropped our backpacks, and swarmed on the machines. After prying open the access panels, we began tearing the parts out and just dumping them into our bags. We also started taking the scrap metal so we could give it to Walter at the water filtration plant.**

**This went on for maybe twenty minutes, and we had filled the packs with as much as we could. After we couldn't carry any more, we stuffed our supplies on top and belted them up tightly.**

"**Now, lets get the hell out of here." Chloe said, which was a very good idea.**

**As we were half way out the door, we heard something that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. A distant and raspy scream. We froze when we heard that. "Oh, shit." Jamie said. We knew we were in trouble, because that placed echoed so damn much that it could've came from anywhere.**

"**It might be best if we quicken or pace." Link said as we all ran out that doorway. We didn't care if we were heard, they already knew where we were.**

**I don't think I ever ran that fast. Even with sixty plus pounds on my back. I just wanted out this miserable place and up in the sunlight again. So we sped up as we hurtled around those corners.**

**I had forgotten to mention this earlier, but halfway from the exit and the Sentries was a very large chamber full of pipes and alcoves. I'm bringing this up because that chamber was the only way out of here, as every other tunnel and corridor was blocked off.**

**When we reached the chamber we didn't here the screams anymore so we decided to stop and catch our breaths.**

**I looked at all of them and tallied up what we had to defend ourselves with. Kai and one of Randall's men had 10mm SMGs, Me, Chloe, another of Randall's, and Fitch had assault rifles, Jamie had a Chinese rifle in her hands, and Link and the last of Randall's guys had combat shotguns.**

**As we breathed, silence had set in. At least that's what we had thought.**

**Hissing, grunts, and growls started filling the chamber. We looked everywhere in panic, trying find the sources of those sounds. Only we didn't find anything. The sounds continued, and they sounded like they were both getting closer and angrier.**

**Then the frightening truth hit me. "Fitch, lit a flare." I said as I looked upwards. When he did, and the bright green light flooded the whole chamber, we all looked towards the ceiling.**

"**AGH! The ceiling's crawling!" One of Randall's men shouted. No kidding Sherlock!**

**All across the ceiling were creatures that looked like humans in loin clothes of what used to be clothing. Some still wore shirts and shorts but were extremely faded and torn. Their skin was as brown as the landscape outside. They had absolutely no hair on their heads, and their eyes… Their eyes were the most frightening feature. Completely black.**

"**Christ! Reavers everywhere!" Chloe shouted as we were horrified at the sheer numbers of them. At least over a hundred, maybe more.**

**Fitch took control of the situation and shouted, "Stop starring, and start SHOOTING!!" And with that everyone of us opened up. The green light quickly became mingled with the yellow flashes of our weapons. As hundreds of cartridges clinked on the metal floor, the tracers streaked across the entire chamber.**

**The monsters roared as many took the impacts and fell off the ceiling or pipes. Unfortunately the ones we didn't hit scattered in every direction. Some of them were literally running down the walls. Others were leaping from the walls to the pipes or visa versa.**

**While I reloaded I noticed one actually rip something out of it's abdomen. It looked like a brownish black liquid, even from the distance he was from me I saw the thing bubbling. Then he drew his arm back and roared as he flung it me.**

**I barely moved as that shit sailed pasted me and landed on the floor. The spot it landed was starting to sizzle, and bubble. After only three seconds there was a hole where it had landed. "Jesus! Watch it! They're chucking acid!" I shouted and started firing again.**

**Even though several dropped from the top dead, it seemed like every one we killed another appeared. "Damn, they're comin' out of the ironworks!" Link shouted as he reloaded his weapon and started rolling again. "They're endless!" One of Randall's men shouted as he looked back at us only for a second.**

**The moment he turned back around one of those acid blobs hit him right in the face. He dropped his rifle and started clutching his face, screaming. We watching in horror as his entire face began to melt down to the bone, as the skin and flesh simply fell off. When his skull and bone was revealed, he dropped to his knees then fell to the side.**

"**Alright, time to get the hell out of here!" Chloe yelled and everyone one of us bolted to the door. Those things were very angry and either threw more of that crap or started chasing after us.**

**As we flew around the corners I saw that the green arrows were gone. "Which way?! Which way to the exit?! I shouted as the truth set in, we were getting lost. Fitch, thank the lord for him, was calm, lead the way in full run.**

**As he and one of Randall's men rounded the corner they saw a Reaver in front of them. Without even thinking mercenary yelled as he ran forward and slammed his stock into the creature's chest. The sheer force of that blow threw the Reaver off his feet and plunging down a deep shaft. "That for Eddy!!" He shouted as the Ghoul slammed into a pipe before disappearing into the darkness.**

**All of us had just came around the corner we all were right behind the two, when I heard a sound behind us. Jamie must've heard it as well cause both of us turned on the spot. A Reaver was running on all fours down the corridor behind us with frightening speed. I knew instantly what he was going to do. "Duck!" I shouted as the Reaver hurled itself off the floor and came at us like a projectile. All of us either ducked or moved out of the way. As the Ghoul sail over or past us, only the mercenary was in his way. He heard my shout, and wheeled around just as the Ghoul slammed into him. Both of them were flung into the abyss, the merc screaming as he and the former human vanished.**

**As we looked down the shaft, I starred at Fitch. I felt so angry that I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "You son of a bitch. What did you get us into here, huh?" I said, fire in my eyes. "What did you get us into?!" He only looked down and I let him go, grunting in frustration.**

"**Look, killin' each other isn't gonna help us." Chloe said as stood stepped in between the two of us. "We still need to get out of here." Everyone even the last mercenary, nodded in agreement. "She's right. Let's focus on staying alive, then we'll be at each other's throats." Link said as he kept his eyes on the corridors.**

**After a moment, we all decided to move out, cautiously. As we moved down the tunnel, the Reavers must've lost track of us, cause we didn't hear or see any of them. That didn't mean we were at all relaxed.**

**Fitch and I walked around the corner, then Chloe and Kai, Jamie, then finally the last of Randall's guys. Everyone of us was jumpy at a certain level. Fitch and Link were very calm, me and Chloe were nervous, Jamie was panting loudly, and finally Kai and the mercenary were nearly losing their minds.**

**That's when it happened, as we entered a long corridor none of us noticed the punch through in the ceiling. That is until a Reaver fell out and grabbed the last merc from behind. He screamed and flailed, trying desperately to get the Ghoul off him.**

**When he did that however he depressed the trigger of his SMG violently and let off a full burst of fire. Most of those rounds impacted on either the ceiling or floor, while the others slammed into the walls. I say most because some traveled in **_**our **_**direction. Out of 30, I'd say 9 or 10 of those either barely missed us or scored home.**

**One round went through Kai's jacket. I saw two sail though Link's pre-war hat. Three actually hit me, thankfully they went into the backpack and impacted uselessly on the machine parts.**

**Two however to everyone's horror, especially Chloe's, dug themselves into Jamie. She hit the ground first before she started screaming in pain. We stopped in our tracks and hurried over to pick her up.**

**When I knelt down and quickly examined the damage, the wounds were both in her lower back, and one in her leg, just underneath her ass. I couldn't work when hundreds of Ghouls were trying to kill us, so Link and Chloe picked up Jamie and threw her arms on their shoulders.**

**As for the last merc? Well, when we looked where he was, all we saw was a splatter of blood on the wall.**

**After we lost the Ghouls again, we quickly sealed ourselves in a smaller chamber. After Kai entered the password in the computer, locking it, Fitch then drove the stock of his rifle into the computer.**

**The chamber was circular, thirty feet across, and ten feet high. It had a single ladder leading to a manhole, the broken door, and**

**When we made sure there was no other way in, I knelt down by Jamie again. "Let's see what we got." I muttered as I slowly lifted her jacket. After whipping some blood away, I deduced from the amount and the location; the first was a through and through, and not clipping any nerves or arteries. It had narrowly missed her liver though.**

**The second one made my mouth drop however. It was a 'souvenir'. Meaning the damn thing was still in there. Another problem was that it'd lodged itself in her femoral artery! I say 'lodged' because if it had cut straight through, blood would be spraying.**

**That wasn't good. As skilled as I was, I never did artery work. I'd need doc Church's help for that.**

**I moved forward and faced Flynn. "Jamie, the first bullet went in and out. But the second's still in." I said quietly, trying to stay calm. "Well get it out of me!" She shouted. Tears both of pain and humiliation coming from her eyes. (Hey, anyone would be humiliated from being shot in the ass.) I had to hush her, and put my hand on her mouth. "I can't. It's in your artery." I told her. I caught Chloe's eye when I said that. She had been out here long enough to know, an cut artery could be fatal, and generally was. "If I take it out now, you'll bleed to death."**

**Fitch knelt down next to me, and said, "So we got to get back to Megaton." I nodded. Church was the only closest doctor, and the odds of running into a learned enough wasteland doctor was slim to none.**

**I brought my right arm up and switch on my trusty pip-boy 3000. The most handy feature by far was the map. It could show us where we were in the entire region. After zooming in on the location, despite us being underground, I saw we were only three, four hours away from Megaton.**

**I informed everyone of this news and we all breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god." Jamie moaned. Kai laughed, and Link leaned against the wall.**

**After I took a bandanna and tied a tourniquet, I motioned for Chloe and Fitch over and started whispering. "Well, that's good were only a few hours away. Unfortunately we got a few problems." Chloe starred in disbelief at me. "Now what?" She said in frightened tone. "Well, not only to we have to worry about her getting lead poisoning but I'm sure by the time we get there she'll develop Sepsis." Again something else that could quickly go from bad to very worse. "What's Sepsis?" Kai asked. All three of us looked at him, with contempt. It took a moment for him to realize, before holding up his hands apologetically.**

**I pushed past Chloe and Fitch and stood next to Kai. "Sepsis kid, is blood poisoning." I said as I towered over him. "And next time, wait before you ask." I slapped him on the shoulder and turned back to the others. "Yeah okay. You got--" He never finished it.**

**After I had turned, a Reaver ripped the floor out and grabbed his legs. As he screamed and fell to the floor, I spun around and leapt down and grasped both his arms. "GRAB HIM, GRAB HIM, GRAB HIM!" Link shouted as he grabbed my legs. Chloe and Fitch also grabbed hold and pulled hard. I held tight even though that damn thing was pulling harder than all of us. Kai was screaming hysterically as the Ghoul pulled him deeper and deeper in.**

**Soon the bastard had pulled Kai all the way to his stomach. By now Kai had stopped screaming and looked at me. With an expression that I would never forget. "Help me, Tristan."**

**Just then there was a crunching sound and something hit me in the face. In that one second I panicked and let go. The others were puling so hard that they fell backwards puling me with them. After we all landed, I saw Kai one fleeting moment before he was pulled under. He had the look of hopelessness.**

**There we were, all of us lying on the metal floors, breathing heavily. We were in disbelief at what just happened. Just then I brought my shaking hands up and brushed my face. I found it was chucks of flesh, and they were dry. When I realized what it was I started gasping and trying hard to get the blood and flesh chucks off my face. "Oh shit. Oh shit." I babbled trying to get it off.**

**I got the chunks off but the blood was dried on and refused to come off. So I gave up, and remembered another priority; saving Jamie's life. So ignoring the pain of losing Kai we hauled Jaime up through the manhole and found ourselves next to a collection of destroyed houses. **

**We knew it was to risky to simply carry Jamie, as the bullet might come loose and open the artery up. So we had to find an alternative method.**

**Thank you Link, for he came up with the solution. It involved him running flat out towards one of the still standing doors and driving his foot hard on the worn wood, knocking it down. "What the hell are you doing?" Fitch asked as we starred at him. "Help me." He only said as he ran inside and started picking up the fallen door.**

**I figured out what he meant and also ran forward to do as he asked. We would use the door as a stretcher and carry Jamie back to Megaton.**

**The hardest part was gonna be lifting her onto the door. "Okay, Jamie we're going to lift you so we can carry you. It's gonna hurt though." I said, and it was. Someone had to grab her legs and lift her. "Just get going." She said. With that she stiffened up and prepared for what was coming.**

**The task was mine, Chloe's and Link's. Chloe and I would grab Jamie's arms while Link took her legs. "Okay guys." Chloe said as we knelt down. "One." She started. "Two." Link. I breathed and then all three of us in unison said it. "Three." With that we lifted Flynn up a few inches, she yelled out of agony, and we set her on the door.**

"**We'll take turns holding the door and guarding those who are doing it." Fitch said as he cocked his weapon. "Right. Me and Chloe first, then after an hour you two." I said as I slung my rifle behind me and with Chloe, picked up the litter.**

**I chose to be at the rear so I could keep an eye on Jamie's wounds. Even with a proper tourniquet on, I was worried.**

**This stayed like that all the way past sun-down, and all the way back to Megaton.**

_**I know I distorted what the Reavers were slightly, (Believe me, I shoot at them a lot.) But I wanted to create them in a James Cameron **_**Aliens **_**type of monster. To make them both more intimidating and more frightening.**_

_**Well that's then end of Ch.5, and the continuation of the story. I know that no reviews are gonna be written for this chapter but come on people! Only one for the whole story?! Speak up dammit! I don't care what it is just say something!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_Allright, Chapter 6. Is up and running._

_I might get into some trouble with this one considering the amount of blood will be mentioned in this one. Eh it's needed to keep the story going. Plus I wanted to show some of Tristan's skill in medicine._

_Plus I'm sorry about the long time it took to get this sucker finished._

Chapter Six

We still had Jamie on our makeshift stretcher, even when the gates of Megaton opened up. "SIMMS!" I shouted at his house. This combined with the gates, Lucas Simms erupted out his front door, his Chinese Assault rifle ready for war.

"Lucas! Get down to doc's, and wake him up!" Fitch shouted. When the sheriff saw our situation , he immediately bolted towards the clinic.

"Okay, Jamie?" I grunted, as we cautiously moved down the steep slope.

When she didn't answer me, we stopped in our tracks. She looked motionless. "Jamie?" Chloe said, assuming the worst. When she still didn't answer both Chloe and Fitch began shaking her.

She then sputtered and moaned. "Stop shaking me." she said tiredly. We all breathed a sigh of relief. She was still alive, for now.

We moved very quickly to the clinic, and Link up front kicked the door open. "Hey! I would prefer if you didn't…" Church said, only to cut out when he saw us carrying Flynn. He then motioned over to his operating table.

"What do we have?" Church asked as he pulled out his tools. "Multiple gunshot wounds. One through and through, another lodged in the femoral, its preventing blood flow." I said as we rested the door on the floor next to the table.

"Alright Link." I said as I grabbed Jamie's legs, and the two of us then painfully set her on the table.

"Doc?" I asked suddenly. "You'll have to repair the artery. I'll get the bullet." He starred at me for a moment, before nodding. "I hope you can get the wound covered before it starts gushing."

After he finished setting his tools out, I noticed one thing he _didn't_ have. "Wh-where's the Med-X?" I asked in shock. He only shrugged. "I don't have any, and that idiot Leo Stahl took the last of my Jet too." I held up my fists in utter frustration. "Link get me some whisky!" I said pushing him out the door.

"Do you at least have strong antibiotics?" I seethed. He nodded this time and I gripped a pair of pliers. Chloe starred at me in exasperation. "What are you doing?" She asked in horror. I sighed and looked at her. "We don't have any clamps, so this," I said raising the pliers up. "Will have to do."

I had to wait for Link though. I had to sanitize the pliers in alcohol first. "Where's Link?" I shouted as he stepped through the door. "I'm here. I'm here." He said and handed the bottle of whisky to me.

I stepped forward and made Jamie take a swig of the liquid before I dumped a good portion of it on the pliers. "Link?" I asked after I finished up. I pointed to Jamie's legs and said, "She's gonna start thrashing. So you've got to hold her down." He nodded and gripped them tight.

I sighed, and readied myself. I had never performed surgery before, let alone life-or-death surgery. Well life's full of small challenges, especially in this life.

Then I drove the pliers into the wound. Immediately Jamie started screaming and thrashing. "Ah Christ! Hold her would ya!" I said as I began digging around. "I'm trying to hold her!" Link shouted as he truthfully tried to keep Jamie's legs down.

I grunted as I tried feeling around the bloody injury to find that bullet. "I can't find the damn slug." I grunted as Jamie was making it difficult to even try this.

Meanwhile doc Church and Chloe were trying to hold Jamie's arms. Chloe herself was on the verge of screaming with her sister by how much pain she was going through. Fitch meanwhile simply stood back and hopped to hell that I was as good as I made out to be.

An agonizing five minutes later, I felt the pliers touch something that wasn't suppose to be there. "I got it! I got it!" I shouted as I gripped the bullet tight. Here is where we would have to move fast.

Then this is where I made a mistake. I hadn't taken the precautions that were needed. So as you can imagine when I ripped that bullet out, heh, I had forgotten about it being a major artery. To get to the point, as soon as I got that bullet out, a spurt of blood followed with it. Hitting both me and Link in our faces.

Both Jamie and Chloe screamed, one in pain, one in horror. "Jesus!" Link shouted as he pulled away from Jaime's now thrashing legs. With all of this happening at once I freaked out. "Shit, shit, shit!" I shouted.

Without waiting another second, I grabbed Link's arm with my free hand. "Come here!" I shouted and drove his hand into the wound. "HOLD THAT!" I screamed at him.

After everyone stopped, Simms burst into the operating room. "What is going on in here?" He shouted. I breathed deeply and held up the blood caked pliers. A 10mm bullet in it's clutches. "Got it. We got the slug out." I said, exhausted after these long ten minutes. Fitch finally spoke up, saying, "Tristan, this is insane!" Link next to me was breathing hard, though he was as tough as the wasteland could make him, this was almost to much. "Well, now what the hell are we gonna do?" I turned to him and answered. "Just keep your finger in her ass."

I then used my jacket to wipe some of Jamie's blood off my face, mainly out of my eyes.

Then I stopped. Stopped because of something I heard, or rather _didn't_ hear. I then spun around to Jamie and starred. She was quiet and pale. "Jamie?" When there was no answer, everyone starred in horror at her. Church then placed two fingers on her neck vain. After a moment he sighed, then looked at me. He nodded. I breathed a sigh of relief. She had only fainted from the pain.

That's when I finally sat down after 18 hours of standing. Only I just sat on the floor, against the wall. "Well, doc. I did my part, time for yours." I said looking up at Church.

Before we did anything though, Chloe then asked, "Could we wait? Just wait a little bit?" I starred at Church, and both of us nodded. "I think we can wait till Miss Flynn wakes up." doc said, patting the kneeling Chloe on the shoulder.

Simms who had been standing quietly, now said, "Well now if no one minds I'm stepping out. It's startin' to stink." Then he disappeared out the door. "I need a drink." I said as I stood up and headed for the door. Fitch agreed with me and followed. "What? Wait!" Chloe said, stopping both of us. "What if something else happens?" She said in shock. I simply pointed to the weathered doctor next to her. "You got doc Church, if anything else happens." Then this time I did exit out the door.

Both me and Fitch went straight to the Brass Lantern, and stepped inside. "Jenny!" Fitch called out, and a moment later, a scantily clad Stahl appeared out of her room. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" She asked angrily, before seeing how much blood was on me.

"Jenny," Fitch stated slowly. "The last 24 hours have not been very kind to us, okay?" I could tell that he was trying hard to contain his anger. "Now if you don't mind, we would like something to eat and to drink." He said, his hands shaking.

Jenny nodded and quickly rushed to the kitchen.

Both of us sighed as we took up seats at the bar. "Hell of a day, huh?" Fitch said quietly. I nodded silently as Jenny brought out two Mirelurk cakes, Mole rat meat, and two bottles of beer.

"What am I going to tell Kai's folks?" I asked Fitch. What was I going to tell them? 'I'm sorry but your only son got eaten by ghouls?' "I don't know kiddo." Fitch said truthfully. "I don't know."

Well Jamie's surgery went well. Doc Church repaired her artery without any trouble. Though she still needed to stay on a bed for a few weeks.

Then came another matter; dealing with Randall. Frankly I was dreading it. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he would blame us for his men's deaths. And it was also clear that he would drop the money, so that we might not get anything.

This was what was going through my head, even when we were meeting with him then next morning. Me, Fitch, and Chloe.

As we entered his private chambers, the tension began to mount. Mostly for Fitch and Chloe. They were apprehensive only by the fact there were about two dozen killers in the room.

Randall was wheelchair bound by a severed lower spine, from a gunshot wound many years ago. He had a light goatee and fading curly brown hair. His left eye had also been the victim of an assassin's bullet. Should've aimed a little more to the left if you ask me.

"It's about time you idiots showed up." He said in a gruff voice. He was busy playing poker with two of his flunkies. "Now where are my parts?"

Fitch sighed and dropped the backpack full of the robot parts. Me and Chloe did the same. Then one of Randall's men came over and checked each one of them. "They're good boss."

Randall then noticed me and pointed. "Who are you?" I was about to say my name, unconsciously, but then I caught Fitch's gaze. I knew what he meant by this gaze. "Nobody, Mr. Randall." I said, feeling stupid. "Good observation." Randall cruelly said.

"Now let's talk about cost."

That's what I was really starting to dread. We were late, three of his men were dead, and some of the parts were missing.

My fears were justified. "The caps your getting are 250, total." Randall said. I felt my mouth drop. I looked to Fitch and Chloe. Both of them were silent on this. That fat, one eyed, crippled pig must've caught my gaze. "What's the matter kid, too much for you?"

It was then I knew I nearly lost it. I turned my attention back to Randall, and glared at him. "Actually it's the exact opposite." I said, as Chloe nudged me in the ribs. I ignored it and continued. "Now we were promised 500 each, including our friend who isn't with us anymore."

Randall didn't even look at me. "I make lots of promises kid. Rarely deliver to scrap monkeys like you."

"Well, not this time. You're gonna cough up those caps, to me, my team, and the family of the kid, who lost his life getting you these parts." I said, marching up to Randall. I didn't care who he was, I was not walking away with such a meager amount.

It was then the fat bastard actually looked at me. "And if I don't?" He asked shuffling the cards in his hands. "Well, then I'll shove these parts so far up your fat crippled ass, you'll be shitting tin for a year!"

Fitch covered his face, I heard guns being cocked all around me, but I never took my eyes off Randall. As we stared each other down, ignoring everything going on around us.

"It's your move." I said, my hand on the .32 revolver on my hip. If I was going to die, I was damn sure going to take the bastard with me.

Time seemed to go by slowly. Everyone waiting for someone to make a move.

To everyone's surprise, Randall began laughing. "Hey Fitch, your man here is pretty brave. He's got balls on him. Alright kid, 500 each."

He then motioned for one of his men to get the caps. When I got the hefty bag, I looked through it quickly. "I promise you that its all there." Randall said, lighting a cigar.

"I make lots of promises. Rarely deliver." I said, mocking him. He grinned wryly.

When I figured that there was 2500 caps in the bag. I tied it to my belt and tipped my hat. "Till next time, Mr. Randall." I said and all of us filed out of the building.

Once we were out, I felt Fitch grab my lapels and then slam me against the wall. "Are you trying to get us killed? If you've got a death wish, fine, but leave us out of it!" He said.

In anger I threw his arms off me. "Well if you didn't let that pig cut your damn balls off, maybe I wouldn't have to demand more caps!" I shouted in return.

"Boys, boys! Enough is enough. We have enough to deal with." Chloe said. We both sighed. She was right.

After this, there most likely would be repercussions.

Perhaps I might have been wrong. The weeks went by after that disaster in the metro, and Randall was quiet.

Though in the interests of our lives, we decided not to take any jobs from him for a while. It seemed that there were no objects from him either.

That didn't matter to me though, I was quite happy today. Jamie was recovering quickly, and I nearly had enough caps in reserve to buy enough supplies to get to the city.

I would have to stop by the little town of Grayditch but it would be worth the travel to lay down for a while and re-supply.

To keep the caps flowing I was doing jobs for, god help me, Moira Brown. I shudder to think what is next. Though it seems to be quite passive this time. She just wants Chloe and I to travel to an old Super-Duper mart to collect food and medicine.

As I'm loading up on a few bottles of whisky, discounted from my pal Gob, I notice someone waving his arm, motioning to me.

"Hey, Chloe, you get everything together I'm going to see what this is about." I told her. She nodded and exited the saloon.

This guy was wearing a grimy business suit, a pre-war hat, and a pair of shades.

I also noticed at his side was a special 10mm pistol. I say 'special' because it had a suppressor attached.

"You want somthin' mister?" I asked flatly as I approached him. "Yes, I do. As a matter of fact. My name is Burke. I represent a mister Alistair Tenpenny." He said, with a calm tone. This kind of stature and tone was cause for worry to me. I had learned that guys like this are very shady.

"Mr. Burke, I have places to be, and money to make. So what ever you're gonna say, say it." I said irritably. To my surprise and disturbance, he grinned. "Quite to the point. Very well. Mr. Tennpenny has made a request that an a certain individual were to say…remove a certain problem."

I didn't like where this was going. "And what might that problem be?" I asked cautiously. "Why the removal of this town." Burke said. "The removal of this town?" I repeated. "Yes. What few people know is that the atomic bomb at the town's center is still very much alive. We would like you to place this quantum fusion battery within the device," He said and handed me the device he said.

"And with it, erase this 'Megaton' from existence. Oh you'll be compensated for your efforts. Very well compensated." Burke said.

I stared at this device that would kill well over a hundred innocent people. I couldn't stand for that, however my mind began working. If I said no and turned the device back in, Burke would be allowed to get away with this crap again.

So instead of saying no, I decided to play along with this asshole. I said yes, playing along.

However the moment I was out of Moriarty's Saloon, I ran, literally ran to sheriff Simms. When I told him about the device in my hands and Burke's intentions to use it the way he described, he told me I was deputized into helping him arrest Burke.

I immediately grabbed my assault rifle and ran right behind him.

When he burst into Moriarty's Burke was still there. I made sure I was right next to this guy. "What the hell are you up to, Burke?" Simms demanded. "Sheriff, may I ask what all this commotion is about?" Burke asked in his calm demeanor. "You know damn well what I'm talking about; the bomb. You're planning to blow it up, aren't you?" Simms said, his rifle pointing at Burke's gut.

"I think you have me confused with someone spreading unnecessary and untrue rumors about me. I'll be sure to look into this, personally." He said, looking at me. I only returned his glare.

"Oh no, you're coming with me Burke, till I can figure this thing out." Simms said, motioning for Burke to get up. "Why do you knuckle draggers always insist on doing things the hard way?" Burke said angrily. "Very well. Lead on sheriff."

Burke then stood up and Simms turned around for the door. Then I saw it. Burke reaching for his weapon. "Lucas!" I shouted and tackled the arm as it was extended. The round went off but it struck and empty beer bottle.

Burke and I continued to grapple. I made sure that weapon was pointed away from everyone.

Finally I swung Burke around and there was a burst of gunfire. I felt Burke ram into me with enough force to knock me off my feet.

When I looked up, I saw several bloody holes in his back, Simms' rifle smoking at the barrel.

"I must be getting slow." Simms said tiredly.

_That's the end of Chapter Six, read and review. Again sorry about the long delay._


	7. Chapter 7

_Now that I got Fallen Angels finished I can work on SfR. You all know the drill, read and review when you done._

Chapter Seven

Well, after the little fiasco with Burke, I felt it was a good idea to try and build up some explosive skills and try my hardest to shut that atomic bomb down. Though I couldn't do that because I didn't know how to work explosives.

Though I was given an opportunity to learn, unfortunately that involved one thing. Going through an old ghost town, affectionately named 'Minefield'.

I actually laughed when Moira told that to me and Chloe. "Yeah sure, Moira. You want us to go through a town that's loaded with mines." I said, still chuckling.

Though Chloe didn't find it as amusing as I did. "Uh, Tristan? I really don't think she's kidding." Flynn said uncomfortably.

I stared at Chloe, then back at Moira. "Oh. Then I suppose I'm going to regret this then?" I asked. "Oh not at all, I just need you to go there, get to the playground in one piece. Oh! And could you get a hold of one of those landmines for me?" Moira said, and both of us grunted uncomfortably. "You're kidding yourself Moira." I said.

Moira just laughed. "No, I'm serious. Could you please bring me one of those hot potatoes." She said gingerly.

Both Me and Chloe stared at each other. She was quite serious. "I know I'm going to regret this, but alright Moira. We'll get you a landmine." I said tentatively. Chloe stared at me, obviously wondering if I was a nut job or not. "Oh thank you! Thank you." Moira said elatedly.

"You're nuts, you know that?" Chloe whispered. "Hey, if it gets us money, and helps me with explosives, then why not?" I said. "How about losing an arm or leg, or you life for that matter?" Chloe said.

"Never mind, Moira, we need supplies." I said, changing the subject.

After losing another total 368 caps between us, we headed back into the meat grinder.

A few days later, after passing the Super Duper mart, we reached one of the hardest obstacles yet; The Potomac river.

Radiation had turned every ounce of water into a toxic poison. Only through purification can it be drank or even used. Though this often required heavy machinery, like the one back in Megaton.

Well, after dealing with several Mole rats, large buzzing insects called Bloatflys, and giant walking crabs called Mirelurks. We arrived outside of what looked like an automobile junkyard.

Since it would be both easier, and it was the only way really, we decided to pass through the junkyard.

It was hear we began hearing a commotion on what sounded like the other side of the place. We rushed over there, and saw several people standing over a man's body, and a dog that was both still alive, and very angry.

We recognized who they were immediately; raiders. Ruthless people who tortured and murdered defenseless people for no reason other than for amusement. I had no respect for these people. Hell they weren't people, they were animals.

They didn't seem to have seen us just yet, but we wanted it to stay that way. "Hey, assholes!" Chloe shouted. They all spun around, which gave the mangy dog enough time get out of the way. Smart pooch.

As soon as the animal was out of the way, both of us let loose with a wall of lead. It only took a few seconds to finish it.

They all landed on the ground, stone dead. Though just to make sure, both of us reloaded.

After kicking them several time to make sure they were beyond a doubt gone, we took notice of what had happened.

The dog came out of it's hiding place and immediately began whining over the body of it's apparent master. It was a tragedy.

"Who is he?" I asked, as I began tucking the former weapons of the raiders into my bag. "Oh, he must be like a wasteland scavenger. Those guys live out here, and only sell to passersby, and to the towns when they are full on inventory." Chloe said, still rifling through their pockets.

I stood up, walked over, and knelt down next to the dog. The mutt looked up at me, the sorrow in it's eyes. "You loose your master, boy?" I asked, putting my hand out so he could smell it.

When he trusted me enough to let me to pet him, I saw a collar around his neck. The name of this mongrel was dulled, but nevertheless readable. "Dogmeat." I said, reading the name aloud. "What did you say?" Chloe asked, confused at what I said. "Oh that's uh, that's his name." I answered. "You know, you are one of the few animals that hasn't tried to kill me." I said. To my surprise, Dogmeat actually wagged his tail.

"Hey, Chloe. What do you think? We take him with us?" I asked, looking back at her.

She began thinking about it and shrugged. "Well, a dog does have its advantages." She muttered. This was true. "Then its settled. We're taking this mutt with us." I said. Dogmeat woofed happily.

It took about two more days but we finally reached Minefield.

We stood there, simply looking over the place. It seemed quiet.

Though the dangerous places were generally the quiet ones.

"Well, we're burning daylight, and there's not much left anyway." Chloe said, racking her assault rifle. "We better search the houses while we're at it." I said, pointing to the house closest to us. "Sounds good." She said, and both of us began cautiously advancing towards the door.

When we did reach it, we saw a bloody handprint on the door. "Chloe." I whispered, pointing to the print. "Yeah." She said, and both of us leaned against the wall on either side of the door.

Chloe slowly turned the knob and her rifle in her left hand, went inside. I was not far behind.

Inside, a raider was leaning against the coffee table behind him, his head slumped on his chest.

"Tristan." Chloe whispered. I knew what she was asking me to do. While she had her weapon aimed against the raider, I knelt down and placed two fingers against the veins in his neck. After a moment I turned back to face her. "He's dead." I said, whereas she sighed with relief.

I then examined the gapping hole in his stomach. Judging by the medium sized entry wound, and the massive exit wound in back, I was guessing this was made by a large caliber weapon, traveling a good distance and hitting harder than can be comprehended.

I then came to one conclusion; this death was caused by a .308 bullet, and only sniper rifles used that ammo. Though what made me worried was the fact that the skin was still fairly warm, and the blood had barely congealed.

The shooter was in this town.

"Chloe? We can't worry about the landmines anymore." I said as I dried my bloodied hand. "What do you mean?" Chloe asked. "We got a problem. Guy who did this is still here." I said standing. "How do you know that? I mean I'm not doubting your medical skills Tristan but what if this guy got shot somewhere else and just dragged himself in?" Chloe asked looking worried.

I just shook my head, and pointed back to the wound in the body's belly. "With an exit hole that big? This guy was dead in about a minute. He hasn't been here for more than six hours at most." I said, though I knew little about snipers.

"I don't know. I believe you, but I'll need to see him, before I'm fully convinced." Chloe said.

She wouldn't have to wait long, considering the sniper put a round into a car we were walking next to. It sounded like a distant pop, and then a ping as the bullet went into the car and set it on fire.

"Run!" I shouted, and picked up Dogmeat. I ran in one direction while Chloe ran in the other.

I barely got around a corner as the car exploded and sent shrapnel flying in every direction.

As things quieted down I peered around the corner and saw a small mushroom cloud rising upwards. "Chloe?" I shouted, hoping she was still in one piece. "I'm alright!" She shouted and through the smoke I saw her move past the car quickly whereas not to soak up to much radiation. "Okay, I officially believe you now." She said and knelt down next to me.

"Told you." I said and put Dogmeat down, and racked the bolt on the R91 rifle. We both peered around the corners and began looking to see where that damn bullet came from. "I think it probably came from that building at the end of the street." Chloe said and I myself saw the three story skeleton of a building at the top of the road.

"Yeah. Only one problem; we have to get to there, while dodging bullets and not stepping on any mines in the process." I said sarcastically. "Uh-huh. Well this life's full of small challenges." Chloe said and stood. "Either way, we'll have to get that sniper."

I agreed with her but that didn't mean I had to like it.

So there we were slowly making our way up the road, stopping only to avoid stepping on a landmine. This was where I laid down on my belly and slowly crawled forward. As I stared at that small brown object with the top a red light, I began sweating more then I did from the heat of this place. "Whew, makes you wonder how these damn things lasted so long out here, huh?" I said as I slowly placed my hands on the side of the mine, feeling for anything that could turn it off. "Not really." Chloe said nervously as she took Dogmeat and stood way back.

Finally I found a small switch with my right hand and pushed it forward. Instantly the red light when off. "Hey, I think I got it." I said, sounding surprised myself. "Good, now get up and lets get moving." She said sounding unimpressed.

I grabbed up the mine, and slipped it into my backpack.

So we continued from that spot, once again avoiding more car explosions from that bastard in the building. I found myself diving into a collapsed building, literally, to just get out of the way from the boom.

I looked up and saw a piece of the hood falling right towards me, so doing the sensible thing, I moved. It landed only a few inches from where I was.

"This is getting old." I said as I moved back towards Chloe. "Your telling me. But I think we're close enough to get a shot at him." She said in earnest.

I peered through the cracks in the wood wall we were hiding behind and up at the building. Sniper was most likely on the third floor. Able to see everywhere and had elevation working for him. "Shit. I can't see him." I said as I turned back to Chloe.

"He's not going to move, unless he's got a target." She said darkly. I knew what she was implying. "Are you nuts?" I asked her incredibly. Chloe glared at me and asked, "Well, how else are we going to get him to stick his head up?"

I thought about it for a while and groaned. "Ah, damn it. Fine. So who's making the run?" I asked her. "I am." She said plainly and began stripping her bag and weapon off.

"Alright." I said and began looking past her. "Think you can make it to that house with chimney still standing?" I motioned to her the place I had in mind. She glanced at it over her shoulder and nodded. "Yeah. Just don't miss." Chloe said and turned as I set up my rifle on spot that gave me a good view.

Then Chloe took off. Almost instantly I heard the rifle crack and heard her yell, I shifted my eyes to see if she went down. Thankfully she was still running. She ran in a zigzag pattern so not to be an easy target.

I stared through the iron sights and a second shot rang out. This time I saw the barrel and the muzzle flash. He was leaning further and further out to try to hit Chloe.

"Shoot Tristan!" She hollered and I saw the rifle fire again. This time, he had stuck his head out enough.

With one pull of the trigger, I saw him disappear behind the floor. I was worried for a second that I had missed him. But that fear was quickly erased when I saw him drop to the landing of the second flight of stairs.

"I got him!" I shouted to Chloe and hopped over the wall. I saw her stick her head over the wall of the house and then made her way down the street. Dogmeat was slowly right behind me as both me and Chloe cautiously proceeded, making sure we didn't step on any mines.

After a few close calls and a few moments, we reached the base of building. "Alright, lets make sure this prick is dead." Chloe said as she finally caught her breath. I nodded and went up first, my .32 revolver at the ready.

As I reached the second landing, I sighed. Before me laid the body of an old man in Brahmin furred clothes, a sniper rifle in his hand and a bullet in his head. It was disturbing. Mostly due to the fact that his eyes were open, and focused. I knelt down and examined the wound. "It hit his brainstem. He was dead before he hit the ground." I said and closed his eyes.

Chloe had moved past me, and picked up the sniper rifle. She gazed at it for a moment, then at me. She grinned and tossed me the weapon. "You deserve it more then I do." She said, as I caught the rifle.

As she rifled through his pockets I passed her and proceeded to the third floor. As I holstered my pistol I saw ammo boxes and a mattress. _The old geezer actually lived up here._ I decided to ransack them and grabbed all the ammunition and a few other items next to the mat. Namely the bottle of hooch.

"Well, at least we got what we came here for." I said as I came down the steps. The bottle of whisky in my left hand. "Not yet. We still need to get to the playground." Chloe said, and held up a camera. I sighed and nodded.

So we left the building and I sat my butt down on the merry-go-round, with my new buddy Dogmeat. Chloe took the picture and we headed back to Megaton.

A week later, I handed the picture and the mine to the ecstatic Moira Brown. As a reward she offered me a landmine of her own design. I held up my hands in defense. "Uhh, that's okay, Moira. I'll just take caps for the thing. I've had enough to do with explosives." I said quickly.

But that wasn't true. I still had that atom bomb to deal with, and a measly landmine didn't compare to this thing.

So I had to buy some extra lessons from the much un-liked Jericho. That cost me easily 1,500 caps, and three weeks, But I was ready to finally take on that bomb.

_That's chapter seven._


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